Gary Lineker says Mikel Arteta decision ‘backfired’ on Arsenal in Carabao Cup final | Football

Gary Lineker has questioned the decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, claiming the call ultimately ‘backfired’ on Mikel Arteta and cost his side.

Kepa had been given the nod for all five of Arsenal’s matches en route to Sunday’s showpiece, but there were calls for David Raya to be reintroduced with a shot at a first trophy in five-and-a-half years on the line at Wembley.

Arteta resisted the urge to play his established number one, though, and plumped for Kepa, who would have been pleased to come through the first half without conceding.

City wrestled the momentum in their favour in the second period but were gifted their opening goal as Kepa allowed Rayan Cherki’s cross to slip through his fingers and into the path of Nico O’Reilly, who headed home from close range.

O’Reilly grabbed his second of the match just four minutes later, nodding a pinpoint cross from Matheus Nunes beyond Kepa, and the Gunners offered very little by way of a response as City held firm to lift the trophy for a ninth time in their history.

Arteta’s players looked despondent as Guardiola’s men climbed the steps to collect their winner’s medals and the north Londoners will need to quickly regroup, with three more pieces of silverware still up for grabs over the next two months.

One thing’s for sure, there will be huge pressure on Arteta to start Raya when Arsenal return to action in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup against Southampton this weekend.

‘He’s not got great memories of Wembley has he, Kepa. Remember the final a few years ago, the penalty shootout, when he wouldn’t go off?’ ex-England striker Lineker said on The Rest Is Football podcast.

‘You feel for anyone who makes that sort of error and that’s backfired on Arteta.

‘The only thing I’d say is, only a week ago, you [Micah Richards] were saying that you don’t think this competition matters to Arsenal, there are bigger things ahead and maybe they should prioritise the other things.’

In response, former City defender Richards said: ‘The point I was making was you still play your best team but it’s not end of the world if you lose because you can still win other trophies.’

Asked if it could prove to be a momentum shifter, Richards replied: ‘Yes and that’s the point you were making before.

‘And yeah, if you play your best team and then you lose then maybe psychologically you’re thinking, “Wow, City have absolutely battered us”, but Arsenal didn’t so it gives them a little bit of an out, maybe.

‘But I think with the goalkeeper and especially because of how good Raya is on the ball, he starts the attacks.

‘How many times have we talked about it? His shot-stopping is really good but then the way Arsenal want to play, playing out from the back, he’s pivotal in what they’re doing or trying to do, especially against a Manchester City.’

Richards believes Arteta will be ‘kicking himself’ for putting his faith in Kepa over Raya for such a high-stakes match.

‘I still don’t think it is the end of the world for Arsenal’s season going forward. Even if they just win the league, it’s still a successful season,’ he added.

‘However, I just think to make that decision not to play your number one when psychologically, and you’ve not won a trophy for that long, maybe Arteta will be kicking himself.’

Alan Shearer was similarly puzzled by Arteta’s decision to select Kepa, especially given the length of time that Arsenal fans have had to wait to celebrate a trophy.

‘For me, you’re under huge pressure to win a trophy and that decision could affect you going forward for the rest of the season in what could be huge momentum,’ the ex-England and Newcastle forward said.

‘If they win today, yeah, you stick with a goalkeeper who you think I’ve given a chance to and I think he deserves to keep on going in this competition, he’s more than played his part in getting us to the final.

‘But then, what do you feel about not playing your best team or your best goalkeeper in a final? For me, I think I would.

‘People will say, “Well, Pep didn’t!”, but he’s won the trophy so no one is going to ask any questions of that.

‘Arsenal haven’t and the goalkeeper has made a mistake by a decision that he’s made on that.’

On Kepa’s 60th-minute blunder, Shearer went on: ‘The key is he’s made a mistake. He’s made a key error which was a game-changer, which gave them the lead and that’s it.

‘We wouldn’t have been talking about it if Arsenal had won it, we’d have been talking about something else that had happened.

‘But he has made the error which has changed the game.’

Prior to kick-off, Arteta defended his decision to start with Kepa, insisting his fellow countryman ‘fully deserved’ the opportunity due to his performances throughout the competition.

‘He fully deserves it,’ the Arsenal head coach said.

‘He’s been phenomenal when he’s played.

‘He’s played the whole competition and we fully trust him.’

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